Pagan Traditions

Pagans celebrated Yule for a few days. These dates coincide with Saturnalia, so before, during, and after the winter solstice, Pagans celebrated in many ways. Starting with the feast, this was a way to thank appropriate deities for a bountiful harvest, and to hope for a good harvest season the following year (Nature, 1998). Some crumbs and cakes would be left as an offering to ensure good fertility (Nature, 1998). One of the first traditions included a sacrificial meal. For example, a boar’s head was used in a sacrifice to honor the Scandinavian goddess, Freya (Nature, 1998). Human sacrifices may have happened as well (Nature, 1998). The burning of the Yule Log was used to help keep death away, and manifest warmth in the coming months (Nock, 2007).

A few modern traditions still include rituals and feasts, but Pagans now may have a small-scale celebration. A couple ideas that Nock (2007) writes about for the modern Pagan is to do a guided winter meditation and to make a charm that will enhance psychic energy and promote positivity. The meditation can be used to center one's thoughts to honor the Earth and appropriate deities. The yule charm includes a few herbs placed in a green bag and tied off with a red chord (Nock, 2007). This is carried around the person who made it on the winter solstice. These two practices show that the celebration of Yule may look different, but it has some of the same intentions as ancient traditions.